All Things New | Sophia/Ric

Sophia could still feel the phantom touch of Asric's lips against her own as the man went his way. The woman smiled to herself.

After declining Pan's enthusiastic offer of assistance (which she had had to decline twice more), Sophia explored a little bit, conscientious to avoid snooping too much. She found that Chaso Manor was a charming house. The view from the glass walls was breath-taking, the pale moonlight reflecting off the snow.

Feeling drowsy, she decided to lie down on the guest bed for awhile, transfiguring her dress into a pair of comfortable pajamas. She soon fell asleep and it wasn't too long after that she began to have a nightmare.

Sophia often suffered from nightmares - with as much as she Saw by means of Dreams, it came as little surprise. She was particularly susceptible after a Dream of such magnitude.

Fighting. Muggle against wizard, wizard against muggle. Fighting - fighting and death. The seer began to whimper in her sleep.

Stop! It doesnae have to be this way, just stop! But of course, her pleas went unheard. The cast of those in the possible futures she Saw never heard her. The future was as immune to her influence as the past.

Tossing fitfully, Sophia started to cry.

Asric returned back home slightly worse for were. His clothes were slightly torn and muddy and his skin bore slight cuts and bruises where he couldn't escape from his masters traps quick enough. No matter what he did his master always had unbeatable traps set for his appearance to make sure Asric was still on form. So once he'd escapsed and listened to his masters requests he left and set off back home to find Sophia.

He apparated straight to just inside the front door and was freeted by a very happy Pan. "Hey Pan!" He smiled. "Where's Sophia?" He asked letting his hearing do the finding but what he heard disturbed him. Within seconds he was off running up the stairs towards the guest room to find Sophia but she was still sleeping. Nightmares.

He made his way over and sat on the edge of the bed and began to gently shake her to wake her up. He couldn't let her suffer anymore of the nightmare. Just seeing her in this state tore his heart apart. "Sophia? Can you hear me love?" He asked almost willing her to wake up and look at him so he could reasure her everything was going to be okay.

"No," Sophia murmured.


Fighting. Bloodshed. Sophia trembled.

No. She was being shaking. Another voice pierced through the terrors which held her.

Her eyes snapped open, and for a second, the images from a future not yet visited continued to obscure her vision. They soon vanished and she was to see Asric gazing down at her. Sitting up, she threw her arms around him, clinging tightly to him and crying quietly against his collar.

He frowned as she seemed to look up at him without really seeing. If he could, he would gladly take these nightmares from her. He'd seen enough of the world to know it wasn't a great place. When she threw her arms around him he relaxed a little glad that she was now back to her normal self.

He wrapped his arms around her and soothed her hair back to comfort her. "Shh its okay, im here now." He said whispering into her ear. He couldn't help but wonder what she had seen, more deaths most likely but he wasn't going to ask her. He would never make her revisit something that scared her so much it brought her to tears because he hated seeing her like this. It tore him apart inside at the sight of it.

"It's over now Sophia you're safe, you will always be safe." He said still keeping his arms wrapped protectively around her. He wanted her to know he would never allow anything to happen to her. She would always be safe whilst in his care, he'd let someone die once before and never would he make that save mistake again.

Gradually, Sophia's breathing evened out and her frantic heart rate slowed. She stopped trembling, soaking in the comfort.

"I've always had tae just calm myself, afair," she murmured, her voice a bit shaky. "You're better at it than I am. Thank you." She held him tighter, refusing to let go, just yet.

He smiled but continued to comfort her. "Thats okay you will never have to comfort yourself again. Not now you have me, i will always be here for when you need me." He said brushing her hair back away from her face, but his arms showed no sign of loosening up. He knew she didn't want that so he held her in his arms for as long as she needed to be there.

"Maybe it's best if you moved in. The house is empty most of the times and it means i can keep an eye on you and be here for when you need me." He said. "I never want to see you alone again Sophia." He whispered.

Her heart skipped a beat at his offer. Move in..?

She had not lived with another person since she had moved out of her parents' house. Ironically, the more time that passed, the more terrifying this had become as more fodder for her nightmares was added. Sophia was afraid to be alone, really, afraid of waking to a cold, empty room.

So, she replied, "Okay. Yes, I'd like that." She felt safe in his arms, comforted by his presence. The chance to have him be there was too much to pass up.

He frowned at he hesitation, maybe it was too soon but he wasn't asking for anything. He did say the house was empty most of the time to make sure he didn't imply them being like a married couple even if he did secretly wish to make her his bride. That was all for a different time though, right now was far too soon to even think of that kind of thing.

"Oh..." He smiled as she excepted. "I'll send Pan to get you things as soon as possible then to make sure you settle in properly." He said the smiled still imprinted on his face. "Is there anything else i can do for you or anything you want?" He asked.

Sophia finally pulled away, giving him a small smile. "No. I'm... better, now," she replied. Then, her eyes widened and she raised a hand to a cut on his cheek.

"What happened?" she asked in concern. "Are you alright?" She quickly got up to retrieve the medkit she had located before falling asleep. Returning, she opened it up and took out the antiseptic, using a clothe to apply it to his wounds.

"Cannae have there be scars, now," Sophia said, working to be as gentle as possible.

He loosened his arms so she could sit back and gave her a smile. "Good i hate to see you like that." He said pulling out a handkerchief to wipe away her tears. He was amazed at how quickly she recovered, he expected it to have lasted at least a little longer. He just hoped she wasn't hiding it away from him to make him happy. "You sure you're alright?" He asked.

He chuckled. "I'm fine, i'm fine it happens all the time. The old man sends us to a trap to make sure we are still being caustious and doing our jobs like we should be doing. Those traps of his can be a little troublesome to escape if you ever get caught in one though." He smiled, his master was a great but if not insane guy. But his heart was in the right place at least. "He still finds ways to test us even now we are adults and we can take care of ourselves." He smiled holding still as she cleaned the wounds.

"No we can't the kids will make up some story like i have a run in with a troll." He smiled. "You know how imaginative kids can be."

"Not really. Not entirely," Sophia answered honestly. "But I will be." She really was feeling better, however, even if she wasn't about to let him out of her sight anytime soon.

"Well, I suppose it is best to always test oneself. Your master must really care for you."

She laughed. "Aye," she agreed, putting away the supplies once she had finished with them. "I really do love children, though. So, innocent and full of hopes and dream. They don't know to be jaded by the world, just yet. They just live, in a way many adults have forgotten how."

He nodded, that sounded more real. He knew she wouldn't get over it that quick. "Well im here for you until you do, for as long as you need me, day or night." He said giving her a quick kiss on the forehead before getting to his feet.

"Would you like a drink or something to eat? I could get Pan to make us something." He said moving to look outside it was still pretty dark so night was still with them.

"Yes rather annoying though when he calls you out to do a job during something important and it turns out to be a test. Like tonight, i'd rather he hadn't have called me out for no good reason." He said running a hand through his hair before looking down at his shirt. "Oh my best shrit as well." He sighed undoing the buttons and pulling it off to throw it into the corner where the bin was. After a second he called Pan who showed up and got him a new shirt. "Thanks." He smiled. "Why don't you take the rest of the night off and go rest or read a book or something?" He sais to the happy little elf who then bounced off.

"Yeah they are so innocent its such a shame they are being brought up at such a touch time. The first years are still at the stage where they think dating each other is gross." He chuckled remembering Damians reaction to his comment. "Yeah some adults have forgotten how fun life can be. It's such as shame because life is too short to take too seriously all the time."

Sophia rose to her feet, as well. "That would lovely, thank you," she agreed.

She listened as he complained a bit about his master. It was obvious he was fond of the man, even if he found him exasperating at times. The woman watched as he removed his shirt, rather enjoying the view this afforded her. It seemed almost a shame when Pan brought a replacement.

"I remember thinking that!" Sophia laughed. "I try not to take myself too seriously, really. The world is serious enough without my help.

"Your home is rather nice. Have you always lived here alone, though?" She thought that a terribly lonely prospect.

He smiled holding his hand out for her to take. "Then let us go to the kitchen. I'm sure we can find something for us to eat." He said, well he hoped so, he was never around his house often so there wasn't much need to stock up regularly but Pan did a good job to keep everything in shape.

He chuckled. "You do? I don't think i ever thought about it to be honest, it was only until recently that i decided i wanted someone to share my life with. Most hunters prefer to live alone and im afraid i was one of those until only recently." He said leading her down the stairs towards the kitchen.
"I never take the world seriously, carpe diem is what i always say." He said walking into the kitchen. The kitchen was mostly made of black marble, the floor the surfaces even some of the cutlery.

"What can i get you?" He asked leading her to one of the bar seat in the kitchen so she could sit down.

"Thank you, got it built especially." He smiled. "Oh no never alone, i've always had Pan and Ghost of course each of them have their own room. My brothers pop in from time to time if they are working in the area." He said searching his cupboards for something he could make them. "Once we have eaten i'll take you on a tour if you like." He said turning to flash her a smile.

The feel of her hand in Asric's made Sophia's heart flutter. Honestly, such a simple thing and it made her feel so very giddy. It almost made her wonder if she were an adult or a teenager.

"Anything is fine," Sophia told him with a smile, taking a seat. She watched him rummage around for a bit. His kitchen was rather nice - she nearly wished she could just for an excuse to use it, sometime. Unfortunately, the limit of Sophia's cooking abilities were sandwiches and salads. Anything requiring heat was almost certain to end up burned.

"A tour would be lovely," she agreed. "I looked around a bit earlier, but I didn't want to snoop too much, so I thought I might try to catch some rest..." And how very well that had worked. It was just not her night for sleep. She knew she would be tired on the morrow, but that wasn't exactly a new experience for her.

At least she didn't have to sit up all night alone. Sophia gazed at Asric, chin propped on one hand and brown eyes warm.

"Oh good anything covers everything." He smirked searching through the cupboards. "Hmm what about pasta? Or steak? I have lots of steak." He smiled, between him and ghost they ate a lot of steak to keep up their protein for their muscles. "Or rice?" He asked turning around to look at her with his hands on the black marble surface.

"I think we shall do the tour whilst we wait to for the food, what do you think?" He asked pulling out two glasses. "What would you like a drink of? Wine, firewhiskey, water, butterbeer? Erm we practically have everything so its up to you." He said, he was a bit of an alcoholic so he had all kinds of alcohol scattered all over the house.

"Oh i don't mind, i have nothing to hide you can take a look when ever you like." He said throwing a tea towel over his shoulder. "Dinner shall be served shortly my lady." He smiled giving her a bow as he back up towards the cooker.

Sophia thought she had been doing an awful lot of eating the past day, but figured she could probably eat a small meal. "Perhaps something light for myself, actually," she said. "The rice, perhaps? I did have pasta, earlier.

"A tour while we wait. I like that." She faltered a bit. "Actually, it's probably best if I stick with water or butterbeer. Anything stronger and... well, I tend to be what is widely known as a 'cheap date'." She gave a rueful smile. There had certainly been some interesting moments the few times she'd been drunk - and Sophia remembered all of them, quite well.

She smiled at him. Asric really was a charming man, and it was nice that he not only could cook, but didn't seem to mind doing so, either.

"So, is... Ghost out doing his own thing, then?" Sophia inquired. "I haven't seen him about." She suddenly wondered what Magus was doing. The raven had been restless before she went to bed the previous evening, undoubtedly sensing her pending Dream long before it took place.

He nodded and pulled out the rice. "Rice it is." He said preparing the rice ready for cooking.

"Right lets get on that tour shall we?" He said holding out his arm for her to take. He lead her out into the hallway and across it to the living room. "Yeah drink isn't great for me, i just never know when to stop." He explained. "You cheap? That is very hard to imagine." He said placing a hand over her arm which now rested on his.

"The living room." He smiled walking through the arch way into the room. The room was a mixture of black and charcoal. Two of the walls, those leading to the outside were made of glass the other two being a dark charcoal colour along with the rest of the house. On one wall there was a huge fire place casting warmth and light in the otherwise dark room. A black leather sofa with charcoal cushions lay in the middle of the room facing outside to the lake. Just in front of the sofa lay a rug with his family crest on, that two was made up of black and charcoal.

"This house is pretty open, seeing as none of us likes being closed in. The only doors we have are those on the bathrooms and bedrooms." He explained itching his arm, he had never shown anyone other than his brothers his home before so it was nerve racking to hear what she thought of it. He tilted his head to the side and searched for Ghost before smiling and shaking his head. "No he's in his room." He smirked. "He can be very demanding you know, he insisted on having the master bedroom for himself." He chuckled. "Luckily the house had two so we got one each."

(OOC the every wall in the house that isn't made of glass is painted in charcoal, everything else is black with the occasional charcoal added in.)

Sophia grinned at him. "Alas, I doubt you shall ever receive a demonstration," she said. "I'm fairly cautious as to how much I consume. Let's just say I tend to behave... a bit uncharacteristically."

She took in everything. She thought, as she had earlier, that it seemed very much a place a bachelor would dwell.

"I like that it is open," she remarked, then turned to face. "Well, it is a bit dark, but I wouldn't say depressingly so. Perhaps, with a wee bit of color here and there..." She gave a slight shake of her head. "I love the view outside. It's just as lovely as I'd imagined."

"Ah, Ghost, too?" Sophia laughed. "Magus, of course, demanded the prime location for his perch. Naturally, he got it. I tend to spoil the bird, so I can understand."

He smiled. "It is the devils drink after all and its very inviting. I have to be reminded a lot to stop, its effecting all my lines of work and soon no one is going to want to hire me. So i've quit." He shrugged, the drink had been affecting him a lot lately but now he'd decided enough was enough. But staying off the drink was easier said than done.

"Well i would love to see that." He smirked, he couldn't imagine her being like that. I guess its all a part of the excitement of new relationships, he thought to himself.

He smiled. "Me and Ghost... we arent really indoor people so we tried to make it as open and outdoorsy as possible. To make it seem more at home." He explained, it was a relief to know she liked it. "Yeah family colours im afraid, the house though is very clever. It adapts to the people living in it. So no doubt once you've moved in properly the decoration will change."

"Yeah, he's a part of me. He holds a part of my soul ive been told he takes after me but im not so demanding." He smiled. "Where is Magus? I haven't seen him yet?"

"A very apt name for it. I shall try to help you resist its siren call," Sophia said, then laughed. "I'm sure you would!

"Ah, yes. Magus, too. I haven't a preference either way, myself. Though, open spaces are best."

"Aye, familiars and daemons both are that way - a piece of a person. I rather think Magus is often much more astute than I, however. He's very clever." She frowned in thought. "I imagine he's about, somewhere. He'll find me, eventually if I don't return. Likely, he's still in our quarters, though."